Robert Walker - Primal Instinct

“ How'd you know Ivers would have such contacts here?”

“ Ivers used to be a Maui cop for many years before going to the HPD, and he frequently visits the island both for pleasure and on manhunt. He does bail bondsman's work on the side.”

The boat now moved swiftly ahead of the current in the open waters of the Alalakeiki Channel, the depths here shallow and glassy. The ship's master at the wheel wore a grim look now, the smiling eyes flat, straight-lined, revealing nothing. Jessica got the sensation of a trap being laid, a web being spun by the Jolly Roger of Hawaii and his leering crew, but maybe she was just jumpy, she told herself.

“ Jim, just how well does Ivers know these guys?” she asked, her eyes going once again from crew member to crew member.

“ It doesn't matter, Jess.”

“ It matters to me.”

He deeply breathed in the Hawaiian night. “Okay, if you must know. Ivers actually suggested a boat captain named Kaupau, but his boat's in for repairs and his crew was nowhere to be found. Kaupau put me onto Ben Awai.”

She sighed in sad resignation, and under her breath she cursed. “So you don't know a damned thing about Awai and his pirates?” For some reason now the filth of the boat deck bothered her far more than before, and the crowded deck also seemed to be closing in, too small for five people.

Awai's boat took on odors she hadn't noticed before. Fishing nets reeked of ancient kills, coiled as they were in all areas where she stepped, some looking in need of repair. Overhead a winch and derrick used for lifting large caches of fish tapped out an eerie requiem in the trade winds. Jim was right, the island they neared was cold. She felt a chill embrace her, nipping at her neck and tingling her most deeply embedded bones.

“ I'm no longer comfortable about Captain Awai and his boys, Jim.”

“ They don't get paid in full until we return, and they know it. Relax, will you? Will you quit worrying?”

Another glance in Ben Awai's direction evoked a smile from the man, but she thought it forced, his yellow teeth glinting dully in the moonlight.

Ahead of them loomed Kahoolawe, out of shadow now, bathed in a blue light.

“ How do we know we won't be seen, coming straight on this way? she asked.

“ Ben Awai's boat trades routinely with the natives.”

“ By night?”

“ No, by day, but if we're spotted, Awai assures me he can find a safe harbor. There're no wharves or ports, so we'll anchor and raft in, just the three of us.”

“ Does he know where Kowona's people are?”

“ He says he does, yes.”

“ How far from shore's the village?”

“ Not very, he says. A few miles inland, but it's a dense jungle. If you want to remain behind-”

“ Not with those two, no way.”

“ Hold it down,” he cautioned. “You never know how much English they understand.”

“ You're not leaving me behind!”

“ Okole nani,” said one of the crewmen as he passed by to get to some rigging.

“ What'd he say?” she asked Jim.

“ He… it's meant as a compliment in these parts, Jess.”

“ What the hell'd he say?”

“ He either said you behind is beautiful or that it's in the way.”

“ My behind is what?”

“ He heard you say the word 'behind,' and must've thought-”

She gritted her teeth and spoke through them. “I'm not staying behind.”

“ All right, all right. You've come this far.”

She nodded authoritatively, effectively ending the conversation.

Midnight, July 21. the Island of Kahoolawe

They were skirting the island now, coming about into a snug bay the captain called Kanapou, an area made up of several small bays. Noticeably, with this side of the island facing Maui and the channel, away from the ocean, there were no crashing waves here. Rather, the channel waters ruled here with a tranquil peace. They put in as close to shore as Awai dared, fearful of grounding his boat, and there they came to anchor.

“ Well, we're here, and so far I've not seen any spears whizz by,” said Jim, lowering the inflatable over the side.

Captain Ben Awai, inspecting Jim's work, insisted that Jim try the raft first. Once it held Jim, he crooked his neck, tilted his head and gave an approving look, his smile returning. He then climbed down the rickety ladder of his own boat to the inflatable. Jessica followed, finding a seat opposite Jim, who was already pulling on the oars.

“ Ben Awai gets the raft as partial payment for his help,” Parry informed her.

“ Aha, the plot thickens,” she replied.

Ben Awai patted the sides of the fat inflatable approvingly and sputtered, “Ko'u… mine. It is soon mine.” He sounded like a child just given the biggest gift from below the Christmas tree, she thought, but then it was a state-of-the-art piece of Army issue. She wondered how the raft had materialized, how Parry had performed this nifty trick… but there was too much on her mind to pursue it. Ben Awai spoke as they neared the shore. “There, there,” he pointed. “Best place to hide raft. Beyond is path. I take you.”

The raft silendy glided in over the top of the turquoise sea which lazily lapped at the desolate island, much of which was barren wasteland as a target for bombing runs over the years, but this beach head looked as lush as Hana, or nearly so. The island was a relative latecomer in the chain of islands here, nowhere near as large as Maui's 729 square miles, which was over twenty times Kahoolawe's size.

There was also a conspicuous absence of construction. No condos here, no resorts, no paved roads. It was the antithesis of Honolulu, the primal, waidng jungle alone greeting them like stone vegetation, creating its own gaping maw where a foot-path showed the way. Until Ben Awai pointed out the near- inconsequential footpath, she could see no way to penetrate the dense wall of bougainvillea, kedwe trees and palms.

The raft, which Parry and Awai had pulled carefully to shore, was now quickly camouflaged.

“ We go dis way,” said Awai, leading them into the forest that hugged the bay. Behind them a small, warm light marked the boat at anchor, looking like a harbor buoy now. Soon, even this light was extinguished by the thick forest through which they trekked. A quick glance at the luminous dial of her watch told Jessica it was nearing 2 A.M. Her ankles already throbbing, she wondered how long she might hold out. It had been a strenuous thirty-six hours: first the search for Lopaka on Oahu, then the helicopter ride to Hana on Maui, followed by the dive and the bone find, and now this. She almost wished she had her cane back, just to lean on.

She felt herself beginning to limp, the old pain returning. Jim, from moment to moment, looked over his shoulder from where he followed on Awai's heels. Each man had taken turns at the lead, each chopping away at the clinging vegetation on either side of the footpath.

“ Seeing would be nice,” she said to herself.

“ What's that?” he asked.

“ Nothing, never mind,” she said.

“ You okay, Jess?”

“ Yes, damnit!” She sounded more angry than she was.

Awai just kept working at the vines ahead of him, expertly chopping away, the results visible as the foliage opened for them. Awai paid Jim and her no mind after a while, until he suddenly pulled up short, gasping for air, his hand covering his pounding heart. Parry went forward, asking in hushed tones about what had startled the big Hawaiian.

Awai pointed to a heiau, a religious temple with a totem carved out of the rock here. The devilish eyes of the god stared back at the party, an angry scowl forming features somewhat between those of an evil beast and a man. The temple, restored somewhat, or at least reclaimed from the dense vegetation growing up around it and clinging to it, showed just how effectively the ancient Hawaiians had used their meager island resources of stone and wood.